Calvary Play Analysis

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The script CALVARY presents as a character-driven, psychological drama with thriller elements. It’s an enthralling script from the very first word until the very last image. One can easily envision this as a film. The goal is clear and the stakes are extremely high. The script incorporates several powerful themes about faith, redemption, regret, and forgiveness. The story also explores and poses intriguing moral choices and questions. The script offers an ensemble cast of distinctive, dysfunctional, and morally corrupt characters. Each one is dealing with emotional damage and a crisis of faith. The dialogue is sharp and interspersed with meaningful subtext. Visual storytelling is well crafted from the butcher shop “meat freezer” to a character lighting a cigarette while a church burns down. The script’s voice is refreshing and original. The structure is a bit non-conventional, but for the most part works. However, the areas that are worth discussing are the pace, the ensemble cast, visual reactions from characters, and the ending. First, the story opens with an extremely chilling and provocative line of dialogue that immediately captures the attention of the audience with “I first tasted semen when I was seven years old.” It’s unnerving, which appropriately sets the tone. The opening immediately establishes the moral …show more content…

What the script does so well is create a mystery about which character might be the man who threatened to kill the Priest. It’s nice to watch the protagonist, Lavelle, grow more paranoid as the story progresses. In fact, there’s more room for this type of suspense and tension (maybe someone being in his room/home, or he thinks they are after Fiona, she receives something threatening). Regardless, because of the natural ticking clock, nice anticipation builds towards the climax. This keeps the audience on constant

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